The cargo bike is the urban bike that can only be found in the city! It can take many different forms - two-wheeler, three-wheeler, longtail - but always has the same mission: to offer a very high load capacity to meet the needs of the most demanding urban cyclists. Carrying several children, heavy loads, making deliveries by bike... The cargo bike can be useful in many circumstances.
WHAT'S A CARGO BIKE FOR?
Cargo bikes, like two- or three-wheelers, can be useful on a daily basis for professionals, craftsmen, deliverymen and others who work in the city. Cargo bikes enable them to travel faster than cars over reasonable distances, and to transport their work equipment or parcels with ease.
Cargo bikes can also be used by everyone, from parents to transport their children, to everyone to run errands or carry bulky parcels...
While conventional cargo bikes can do the job for fairly short distances, electrically-assisted cargo bikes can replace a car in many cases!
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CARGO BIKES
There are three main types of cargo bike: two-wheelers, three-wheelers and longtails.
Two-carriers
Two-carriers are two-wheeled cargo bikes that incorporate a cargo box between the handlebars and the front wheel, enabling them to carry several children safely, or important errands.
It's important to bear in mind that this type of bike weighs around 30 kilos, making it more difficult to maneuver when stationary than a conventional bike. As wide as a conventional bike, it takes up less space than a scooter. With its comfortable position and low center of gravity, it offers a pleasant ride and remains very stable in use when loaded, even if the turning radius can be greater than on a conventional bike.
Scooters
Three-wheelers are three-wheeled cargo bikes that integrate a loading box between the two front wheels. They offer even greater load capacity than two-wheelers, and can accommodate up to four children!
A variant of the classic three-wheelers are the pendular models, whose front wheels tilt when cornering.
A three-wheeler weighs around forty kilos and is wider than a two-wheeler, making it bulkier and less easy to store. Offering a comfortable driving position, it has a low center of gravity, making it very stable in use. As the two-wheel front drive is a special one, turns should be taken at moderate speed.
Recumbent bikes
Extended bikes, or longtails, are the closest to traditional bicycles: their front triangle is identical, but their rear structure incorporates a long luggage rack, making it possible to carry large shopping bags (with high-volume panniers) or two children (with adapted seats or support bars). The position is comfortable, but the real strength of the longtails is the ride, which is comparable to that of traditional bikes.
WHICH CRITERIA TO CHOOSE?
Load capacity
Load capacity is an essential criterion for choosing the right cargo bike! Depending on your needs, you'll opt for a three-wheeler to benefit from maximum storage volume: thanks to its voluminous body, it can accommodate up to 4 children, several children with a few errands, important errands or large parcels. The two-wheeler offers the same loading possibilities to a lesser degree, with 2 or 3 children, a few errands or parcels. While it doesn't offer the same possibilities, the recumbent bike can still accommodate two children on the back.
On a two-wheeler or a three-wheeler, parents have the advantage of always being able to keep an eye on their children, who are safer in their box at the front than in the back of a longtail. The bodies of two- or three-wheelers can also be fitted with accessories to enhance the comfort of little passengers, with comfortable benches, safe seats, rain protection...
In the same way, longtails can be fitted with accessories to ensure the comfort of children in the rear: seats for the little ones and, for the older ones, padded cushions, grab bars, foot supports...
Storage facilities
Space requirements and maneuverability at a standstill are important criteria when choosing between a two-wheeler, a scooter or a recumbent bike.
Equipped with two front wheels and a bulky body, the scooter is the heaviest and widest of the three, which limits storage possibilities, especially indoors. The two-wheeler is an intermediate solution, but still requires an easily accessible garage for storage. The recumbent bike has roughly the same dimensions as a conventional bicycle, with a slightly longer wheelbase, making it easier to store and handle when stationary.
Handling
Less adept at threading its way around town than other cargo bikes, the three-wheeler is also the one that requires the most care when riding, especially when cornering. It is ideally suited to use on equipped cycle paths.
On a two-wheeler, you'll find a ride fairly comparable to that of a conventional bike, although it does take a little getting used to. As wide as a conventional bike, it's better at getting around town than a three-wheeler.
The recumbent bike remains the most maneuverable of the three, and its handling is no different from that of a conventional bike.
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